Nicko McBrain has described a hostile phone call from former Iron Maiden drummer Clive Burr after McBrain took his place in the band, according to excerpts from his new autobiography shared on Louder Sound.
McBrain explained what happened in the period after he joined Iron Maiden as Burr’s replacement. The drummer also recalled an incident at a public appearance where someone in the audience made a rude remark, which he later believed was Burr.
Nicko McBrain explained in his new autobiography: “About a week had gone by when I got a phone call from Clive. ‘You f*cking arsehole!’ he screamed. ‘You motherf*cking cunt! You’ve had my gig!”
McBrain then described an encounter at a different moment. “After doing a solo, which I thought was pretty good, I got up and asked if anyone had any questions, and someone shouted, ‘How big’s your willy?’ I thought, ‘What kind of question is that?’, and although I didn’t see who asked it, I swear blind it was Clive.”
“It was definitely his voice, and it wasn’t said in a light-hearted way; it had a hint of aggression about it, as if the person was pissed off at me. When I asked Clive if it was him many years later, he changed the subject.”
McBrain made these comments in his autobiography, which details his time replacing Burr in Iron Maiden.
McBrain’s frustration with Burr must be understood in the context of how he came to join Iron Maiden. McBrain was approached by Maiden’s co-manager Rod Smallwood while Burr was still in the band and was put on retainer as “back-up”. Burr was furious when he found out about this arrangement. McBrain recalled that he attempted to pacify Burr and suggested he clean up his act in order to remain in the band, which Burr temporarily did, but by the end of 1982, Burr was out of the band for good.
McBrain joined Iron Maiden in December 1982 for the 1983 Piece of Mind album. His previous band Trust had supported Iron Maiden on the Number of the Beast world tour in 1982. McBrain brought a degree of dexterity and flair to the band, helping primary songwriter Steve Harris take Maiden down more adventurous paths, whereas Burr was often lauded for his heavy-handed, punk-oriented style.
McBrain’s autobiography, titled Hello Boys and Girls!, was published on 22 October 2026. In it, he reflects on the turbulent period when he took over the drumming duties in one of rock’s most storied bands. Burr later suffered from multiple sclerosis, and his former Maiden bandmates came to his aid by performing charity concerts and helping to form the Clive Burr MS Trust Fund. Burr died at the age of 57 in his sleep while suffering from the condition.
